Driving anxiety can happen to anyone at any time, for instance, someone who has just past their driving test may feel anxiety symptoms before getting in the car as it is all new to them, and others might feel anxious if they are driving a new car for the first time and are not used to it yet.
Whilst driving anxiety is normal for people to experience, it can also be triggered by a traumatic event such as a car accident, which can cause them more issues when they try and get back into the car again.
Keep in mind that car accidents can not only threaten the physical well-being of an individual but also cause significant emotional distress. Furthermore, it is worth noting that if the car accident was caused due to the negligence of the other driver, the victims have certain legal rights. They can collaborate with skilled personal injury lawyers, such as those found on websites like https://www.warfor214.com/, to seek financial compensation for their losses and emotional damage.
While this may not take away from the trauma of the incident, seeking justice for such gross negligence can bring a sense of closure and accountability. It can allow the victim to navigate the aftermath with the support they need, both emotionally and financially.
That being said, today we are going to discuss why people may develop a fear of driving after a motor vehicle accident, as well as the term for the symptoms they experience before they take to the road.
What is Vehophobia?
If you have not heard of this particular term before, then you are not alone.
It is one of the most common anxiety disorders out there, and people may experience this phobia after being in a car accident, whether it is a serious car accident or a mild/moderate one.
Whether the cause of the accident was you or the other driver, you might still feel anxious and scared before you are ready to drive again. Sometimes, taking legal action against the person guilty of causing the accident can serve as some form of closure. Say if an Uber driver was driving recklessly, you can contact an Uber accident lawyer in Queens, NY (or wherever you reside) and avail legal advice on how to proceed. Taking action against the person responsible can also make you feel better about the situation and reduce your anxiety about driving.
How it Affects Their Mental Health
This normally occurs because of the PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) they struggle with after being in their accident.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health disorder that can cause flashbacks to the event in which panic attacks can arise and cause them to feel like they are back at their car accident reliving the encounter all over again.
Who Can Get Vehophobia
It is common for people who have been in car accidents to have this phobia, but it can also affect those who have witnessed a car crash whether that be in person or through news events/films.
The Symptoms of Vehophobia
Before you get in the car to drive or you are driving, you may experience anxiety symptoms that mean you have Vehophobia, these are –
- Trembling
- Sweating
- Tense Muscles
- Nausea
- Intense Fear
- Chest Pain
- Shallow Breathing
If you are going through these symptoms, you may find yourself having a panic attack each time you try and drive, or you avoid driving altogether because you may have convinced yourself that you will get into a bad accident.
What Should You do After Car Accidents?
If you have been in a car crash and you have sustained physical injuries that have caused you to seek physical therapy and be put on a course of medication to help you manage your pain, then you could have a case against the person that caused the accident (if it wasn’t you).
Speaking to accident lawyers (or abogado de accidente) and going over your options may be the next step after getting treated.
You will need to have this looked into first and see if it would be the next best avenue for you. But just know that there are options out there if needed.
How Can Someone Get Over Their Fear of Driving?
Being aware that you have an issue is the first step to getting over the painful memory of a car accident, as well as helping support your daily life so you can get back in the driver’s seat and work through any mental health issues that have come up.
Below are some ways that you can overcome Vehophobia and any other type of driving anxiety disorders to keep you and other drivers safe on the roads.
Take a Defensive Driving Course
Aggressive drivers are not going to get good results on the road, this type of driving can cause accidents and can be extremely disruptive to other drivers.
What Can a Defensive Driving Course do?
You can gain confidence by going on defensive driving courses as they will be able to give you the best tips to evade future accidents and make you more aware of what is going on when you are behind the wheel.
These defensive driving classes will make you get in the car more so you can build your confidence back up to the way it used to be, so when you need to get into the car again, that intense fear and emotional distress you felt before, no longer plagues you as it did.
Speak to a Mental Health Professional
You feel afraid to go back behind the wheel and even get out of your street, of course that is understandable from what you have experienced, this is why getting professional help is important in getting you to face your problems.
How Can They Help You?
When you speak to a therapist or a doctor, they will assess you on what you are feeling and offer the best course of treatment that suits you at the time.
This may mean doing counseling, either with support groups, individually, or through CBT like prolonged exposure therapy.
They may give you prescription medications to help manage your anxiety levels if they are particularly high and causing you knock-on issues in daily life.
Focus on Self-Care
After being in an accident, you are going to go through a lot of emotions that can make you feel like you don’t know which way to turn.
It can stop you from caring for yourself as all you are focused on is what you have gone through and replaying it over and over again in your head without you being able to stop thinking about it.
Why is it Important?
It is essential that you take care of your mind at this moment and go through all your basic needs to make sure that you are meeting them to maintain your health, from physical to mental.
What Should You do?
Ensure that you get enough sleep and that you are eating healthy and moving around as much as you can. Keep in contact with your friends and family and let them know how you are doing.
If you aren’t able to go out, get them to come to you so they can see how you are holding up so you can put their minds at ease as well.
Pick up a hobby to do, or carry on with the hobbies you enjoy. This will help you keep busy and distract you from overthinking too much and causing you even more distress.
Join a Support Network
Speaking to people who have been through something as similar as you can help you out greatly when you are trying to move through what has happened.
Whilst you may want to only talk to your friends and family, you need to branch out and get support from legitimate support groups that can aid you in developing coping strategies to get you through the day.
It can be a good form of therapy, and you may be able to find them online or in your local area.
Just go online and search for support groups to see if there are any available where you are or if you can join a group online.
Get Back Behind The Wheel
This may sound scary to start with, but if you can focus on getting back behind the wheel after your accident, then you can look toward the future and see how you can tackle this issue without completely giving in.
Bring Someone With You
Going out for the first time will be a shock, so you can ask a family member to sit in the passenger seat with you and just be there as a support if you feel yourself getting panicky.
This can also help you if you are unable to drive back as you feel like you can’t do anymore.
This is understandable and may happen, so bringing someone else along with you can stop you from worrying about having to leave your car where it is as you can’t drive it back.
Don’t go Far
To stop yourself from feeling like it is too much all at once, you may want to only go near your house or a friend’s house to start with.
You can map out the route in your head and see how you get on by going somewhere that isn’t too far away from your safe space.
Each time you go out after that you can get further and further away from your home and see how far you can get.
Setting yourself goals on where you go can inch you closer to feeling a lot more free-er and getting you out of your head.
Conclusion
It is not easy when you have been in a bad accident and are afraid of getting back on the road. Granted, the financial stress, which is a big source of anxiety, can be largely reduced if you choose to file for compensation with the help of a personal injury attorney Montgomery or a similar professional elsewhere for the damages sustained by you and your property. However, the psychological impact can take longer to recover from.
You can’t be expected to just pick up when you left off, so if you are experiencing difficulties and you want to try and be better, then hopefully, this has been able to help you.
Knowing how to deal with driving anxiety after an accident can assist you in setting out your plan and goals for being ‘you’ again.
Just remember to not push yourself too hard and be aware that you may take two steps forward and one step back at points, this happens, and it is nothing to be upset about.
We all have blocks when we are trying to recover from something, it’s natural.